Anne Burrell Has The Internet Divided With This Charcuterie Board Request

A charcuterie board is supposedly a real treat for those who choose to enjoy it. According to The Washington Post, one of its greatest advantages is the fact that a charcuterie board offers flexibility and lets diners "build their plates" which means that they can feast on a larger variety of food items.

Charcuterie is a French word that can be loosely translated to imply cooked meat — well, it's a no-brainer then to assume that meat is the an important part of the board that can include options ranging from prosciutto to salami and pepperoni. The charcuterie board may also be equipped with bread, crackers, cheese, fruit, pickles, jam, toasted veggies, and more. 

A Redditor advised someone to keep things simple and remember a cardinal rule before building a charcuterie board. They wrote, "For every smokey thing, add something sweet (smoked raw ham > dates/grapes/melon). They added that salty food items need to be balanced with something "fresh or sour" so it's usually wise to include pickled items or some "high quality mustard" with aged cheeses.

By the way, celebrity chef Anne Burrell feels rather strongly about charcuterie boards and took to Instagram yesterday to express her feelings. 

Anne Burrell posted a picture on Instagram with a clear message for her colleagues and fans that read, "For 2022, can we go back to saying antipasto?? Instead of 'charcuterie.'" Her caption simply read, "Please?" and included hashtags such as #theclaxton, #ilovewhatido, and #luckygirl. Bobby Flay sided with Burrell and wrote, "Word" while Jeff Mauro said, "I'm all about this. 100%".

A commentator recalled their childhood days when they weren't sure what antipasto really means and assumed that pasta won't be served, a realization that made them "very sad" as a kid. Someone else disagreed with Burrell and said, "But I think of charcuterie as meat and cheese primarily, while antipasto can have a lot of vegetarian items with absolutely no meat/cheese. Aren't they different?" Another Instagram user admitted that they're unable to warm up to charcuterie and "have no intention to." Several other commentators expressed conflicting views: some didn't hesitate to agree with Anne Burrell while others wrote comments such as "They're not the same. I prefer the flavors in the typical charcuterie over the flavors in a typical antipasto."

Some Redditors believe that while a charcuterie board relies heavily on meat and cheeses, antipasto may include olives, meat, cheese, salad, and Italian appetizers. It's not an easy debate to settle, though.